Advising and Supervision

Smith's commitment to individual support and mentorship continues during the internship experience where you will work with a designated practicum faculty adviser. Agencies provide interns with clinical supervision and instruction weekly.

Practicum Faculty Adviser 

You will also be assigned a Smith Practicum Faculty Adviser (PFA) with whom you will correspond monthly. The PFA is available to you for phone or email consultation and will meet with you and your supervisor twice during the internship period. The PFA is the intermediary between the School and the agency, ensuring a quality learning experience and the highest standards of clinical instruction through supervision. Through this network of support, communication is maintained with the School about your professional development and learning needs.

Katya Cerar smiles for the camera. She is wearing a black top and scarf and has shoulder length straight hair.

Katya Cerar, M.S.W., Ph.D. '13, LICSW

Senior Director of Practicum Learning
Katya Cerar, is the senior director of Practicum Education at Smith College and has taught and supervised students from various New England schools of social…
Mary Curtin smiles at the camera. She is wearing a purple sweater and has shoulder length curly hair.

Mary Curtin, M.S.W. '00

Director of Professional Education | Practicum Faculty Adviser
Mary Curtin, LICSW, is the director of Professional Education at Smith College School for Social Work. She is a graduate of Smith College School for Social Work…

Clinical Supervisors

Your relationship with your clinical supervisor is an educational one, in which both parties commit to your skill development, values and knowledge of social work. Supervisors coordinate your overall experience, review case material and help you to integrate the various pieces of your learning in the internship. You will receive a minimum of two hours of weekly supervision which can be met in individual supervision or in a combination of individual and group supervision. You will be expected to complete one process recording each week, which your supervisor will review and respond to. This relationship in the internship setting will help you learn to reflect on your work and will allow for detailed feedback on both the content and the process of your interactions with clients.